A federal jury this week ordered Apple to pay more than $625 million to an alleged patent troll over technology used in its FaceTime and iMessage systems.

VirnetX, a Nevada-based holding company that licenses patents, alleged that Apple used patented technology to enable security for remote communications, video calling and messaging programs.

The verdict is among the largest awards based on patent litigation in history, according to Bloomberg.

VirnetX previously won a nearly $369 million verdict in the case in 2012. An appeals court threw out that award but ordered a new trial. Attorneys for VirnetX responded that the jury "saw what we have been saying all along."

"Apple has been infringing VirnetX's patented technology for years," said Dallas attorney Jason Cassady.

Apple argued that it developed its own technology and asked for damages to be capped at just more than $44 million. The tech giant vowed to appeal.

"Our employees independently designed this technology over many years, and we received patents to protect this intellectual property," the company said. "All four of VirnetX’s patents have been found invalid by the patent office. Cases like this simply reinforce the desperate need for patent reform.”

By: DocMemory
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